JAMA website page on pediatric sepsis features CHEAR investigator's article

An article by Dr. Erin F. Carlton, "Context and Implications of the New Pediatric Sepsis Criteria," which was published in JAMA in January 2024, is one of nine featured on a new page, Identifying Sepsis in Children, on the publication's website.

The page explains the highlights of the new Phoenix Sepsis Score, which addresses pediatric sepsis and provides recommendations of what clinicians should consider when dealing with a potential sepsis case. 

"The transition to the new Phoenix Sepsis Score and Definitions is a large shift in the concept and criteria surrounding pediatric sepsis," said Carlton, MD, MSc, the associate director of the Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Center fellowship programs. "This collection of manuscripts and commentary provides an outstanding resource for clinicians and researchers alike."

Pediatric sepsis is a worldwide health problem that causes more than 3 million deaths annually. According to the JAMA website, the Phoenix Sepsis Score relies on vital signs, laboratory tests, and interventions that are routinely collected in most settings. A score of 2 or more (on a scale of 0 to 13) identifies potentially life-threatening organ dysfunction in children younger than 18 with infection.